I hug her again, both of us knowing it has nothing to do with the sushi.
“You and Bailey should form a sushi appreciation club,” Jill quips.
“We did,” Bailey mumbles around a mouthful. “You weren’t invited.”
As we settle in, Riley’s expression turns serious. “So, what happened? Give us the unabridged version.”
I take a deep breath, looking at each of my friends. “This doesn’t leave this room,” I say in a serious tone, and they all nod. I recount what happened, trying to keep my voice steady. “It was strange. He looked at me as if he wanted to kill me and didn’t want to kill me at the same time. I saw murder in his eyes, but then he just hit me on the head. It was like he changed his mind at the last second.”
“Maybe he never killed before,” Jill suggests, her brow furrowed in thought. “First-time jitters?”
“Maybe you were supposed to be his first kill,” Bailey says, her eyes wide with a mix of horror and fascination. “Some initiation task for a brotherhood or the mafia, and he got cold feet. Like in those crime movies, you know?”
“Bailey, really,” Riley says. “We’re not in an episode ofSerial Killers in America. This is real life, not some TV drama.”
“What?” Bailey shrugs, looking unrepentant. “It could be true. Stranger things have happened. Like Jill’s outfit choices.”
“Hey!” Jill protests, throwing a pillow at Bailey.
“So, the marks on your neck...?” Riley whispers, her eyes drawn to the bruises I’ve been trying to hide. Her lips purse in concern.
I run my fingers over my neck. “Those are his hands. He... He grabbed me pretty hard.”
“Oh my God,” Jill says, her hand flying to her mouth. “That’s terrifying. Wait, can they take fingerprints from that? Like they do on TV?”
“No,” I answer, shaking my head. “Well, I don’t know, actually. The police didn’t mention it. But he wore gloves, so even if it were possible, it’s not relevant.”
“And what did the police say?” Jill presses, leaning forward.
I sigh. “They’ve got nothing. There are no cameras on that street, so they’re trying to locate him from footage in the nearby streets. It’s a long shot, though.”
“What bad luck that he robbed you exactly where there are no cameras,” Riley muses.
“I don’t think it’s bad luck,” I say, voicing a thought that’s been nagging at me. “If I were a mugger, I’d find out in advance where there are no cameras. It’s only logical that he’d wait there. The bad luck was that it was us who walked into his trap.”
Bailey nods, nearly choking on her sushi in her excitement. “Of course. You’re right. The mugger probably knew that. He might have been staking out that spot for a while.”
I hesitate for a moment, knowing I’m about to drop a bombshell. Arlo asked me not to talk about it, but I can’t keep it in anymore. “There’s something else,” I say.
My friends lean in, their faces a mix of concern and curiosity.
“Arlo ran away and left me there with him.” The words tumble out in a rush, leaving me breathless.
Bailey’s reaction is immediate and explosive. She leaps to her feet, her eyes wide. “He what?” she exclaims, her voice rising an octave. “No fucking way. What kind of spineless jellyfish does that? Are you serious?”
I nod. “Unfortunately, yes,” I confirm, my voice cracking. “The moment the mugger pointed the gun at me, Arlo turned and ran. He just...left me there.” The memory flashes before my eyes—Arlo’s back disappearing into the darkness, leaving me alone with a gun to my head.
Jill’s manicured hand flies to her mouth. “I can’t believe it,” she says, her voice muffled. “Dump his ass,” she declares, her tone leaving no room for argument. “You can’t trust a man like that. How haven’t you kicked him out yet?”
I shift on the couch. “He’s apologized a hundred times,” I explain. “He said he got scared and acted on instinct. It could happen to anyone, right?”
“No, it couldn’t,” Bailey interjects. She’s pacing now, her oversized pajamas swishing as she moves. “I wouldn’t have run away, I’m sure. I would have stayed to protect you.” She pauses, then adds with a self-deprecating laugh, “Take my relationship advice with a grain of salt, but my logic says that if that’s his first instinct, then he’s a coward. And fuck, I don’t like cowards.”
“I was scared, too,” I admit, shaking my head as the memories flood back. The cold metal of the gun against my temple, the mugger’s harsh breathing, the paralyzing fear. “Terrified. I thought I was going to die.” I blink hard, trying to stop the tears that threaten to fall. The trust I thought I had in Arlo has been shattered, and I’m not sure how to move forward.
“Oh, Cora,” Riley says. She moves from her armchair to sitbeside me on the couch, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “I’m so sorry you went through that.”
Jill and Bailey join us, and I’m enveloped in a group hug. I’m wrapped in my three best friends, drawing comfort from their presence.
